


Twist of Fate

by daisherz365



Series: Stranger Things Have Happened [3]
Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: Background Relationships, Bob is mostly mentioned, F/M, Family Feels, Fix-It of Sorts, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Post-Season/Series 03, Reunions, Spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-06
Updated: 2019-07-06
Packaged: 2020-06-22 05:53:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,904
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19661164
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/daisherz365/pseuds/daisherz365
Summary: Joyce knows he couldn't have left her too. Fate has a funny way of working out sometimes.[SPOILERS AHOY, PLS BE AWARE. Enjoy good feels]





	Twist of Fate

**Author's Note:**

> I really had to get this out after finishing s3 today. My JOPPER heart is in pain, even if I KNOW he's alive. 
> 
> So this kinda me exploring Joyce's journey post canon and having a good reunion with Hops because it's what they deserve. 
> 
> Please come cry in the comments with me. (Also lots of Jancy hints so imma definitely do the proposal fic I'm just so emotional about MOM AND DAD right now so here we are). 
> 
> <3
> 
> **edit: 7/6/2019 - made a few edits for flow/grammar, added a few sentences in but still pretty much the same for those who read it over the course of the night.**

Joyce hadn't time to be alone with her thoughts since Hopper disappeared. Was it some cruel twist of fate that every time she let herself try to be happy, something bad happened to them? 

Granted Lonnie was an asshole in the end but at least he was still breathing. Bob...died in front of her. She still could see him, he had looked so elated to see her before it was all taken away in a second. She was frozen to that image of him. It broke her heart.

Then there was Hop. Jim had always been there for her. Someone who she cared about in ways that had been difficult to put into words. He had tried to get her to come out with him several times in their shared history. It had only been a fantasy in her mind. Hopper had continued to be steady even when he was frustrated, she adored him all the more for not giving up on her - on her family - on whatever remained of this bond they shared.

This bond that she didn't want to say goodbye to. Because it had centered her. It had kept her grounded when so much about her life had been something out of weird science fiction novel. To have this partner who had stuck with her to the last second.

He wasn't gone. Joyce kept that hope in her heart. Without it, she would crumble.

It couldn't be him, too. Her Hopper couldn't have left.

She hurt remembering the way he looked at her, and the fact that she could do nothing to change this flow of events except to play a part in it. Close the gate, save Hawkins and the children - _their children_ \- one more time.

When they had settled in their new home she focused on getting everyone on a routine. Routines are what got them all through the aftermath. She concerned herself with El, a constant reminder of the Chief who's flannel she had adopted into her wardrobe.

Maybe it was similar to Joyce's need to hang up his work shirt in her closet where it sat pushed in the far corner so that she only glanced at it around the time laundry needed doing. He wasn't gone if they still had him in their home. 

She had opted to not ask for the note back from El. Those extra words he had left for the girl had been more important than anything else. It had been hard to see her cry, and continue to try to guide her in the only way she knew how as a mother.

As it were it wouldn't be long before Jonathan properly proposed to Nancy Wheeler and he moved out and away. It would just be her and the two teenagers. She would have to adapt to that feeling of letting go of one more person. Jonathan deserved to be happy, and she wanted that for him even when he claimed that he could wait.

"You've done enough waiting to be with Nancy. I was young once, I know what it's like to want to be with the person who understands you the most." 

Jonathan looks at her sadly, he knows that the statement is still true for his mother. His mom had hidden for so long, it had become harder for her to not just wear everyone emotion she had on her sleeve.

He chose to wrap his arms around his mother rather than say anything. He didn't know how to fix this pain. He liked Hopper, too. He loved the way he appreciated his mother and didn't ask for much in return.

It's what she deserved after everything. He had saved some hope that maybe the universe had something still left in ways of returning joy back into his mother's life. He didn't know how but, stranger things have happened.

He did fall in love with the belle of the ball after all, and she accepted him when others turned a side eye at him, Nancy had looked past the majority and just found him.

"Could you help me pick out a ring?" He mumbled into his mom's hair.

He nearly laughed at how excited that made her. He missed seeing her smile. It was infectious.

_____

It's during Christmas that they get a visit from Murray, who is all over the place. He's talking nonsense but insists that he's uncovered new information that means that hope is still out there. 

Joyce pours him tea to get him to settle long enough to tell them all what he found out. It's Hopper, she knows it.

She thinks of the letters she wrote to him that are tucked into the box on the shelf in her closet. Some are long and short, little memories of things, filled with questions that he couldn't answer before. It had filled the void of his disappearance.

She didn't know if she'd ever give them to him. Or would she burn them instead? She had to think about that later as Murray had gotten rather animated explaining that somehow they had to get Hopper out of Russia.

Joyce turned as a hand landed on her left came to wrap around hers. Soft hands that belonged to the young girl who had begun them on this journey. She had turned out to be radiant and so damn sweet.

Joyce placed her other hand on top of El's and squeezed back. They'd get him home. Somehow.

____

Joyce continues writing the letters leading up to Hopper's return. It's rather reminiscent of writing to a loved one in the war, she realizes. She tries not to smile thinking how that feels almost right.

She did hold affection for Hopper. She always had. Life is just tragic that way. It takes pain to make you figure some things out. 

Joyce knew she wanted to go on many dates with Jim Hopper. But first, there was the logistics of it all to think about.

El catches her finishing up a letter late one night. "You're like Hopper. Good at words."

Joyce flips the page over to shield the latest addition. This one isn't for Hopper. "I guess so. It's just easier sometimes to write down your feelings so it isn't stuck inside you."

El sat across from her. She looked conflicted about something. "Even bad feelings?"

The older woman smiled softly. "Especially those. They can hurt you and others if you don't deal with them properly." 

The girl seemed to weigh that for a little time. "Do you think Mike would like that? A letter?"

Joyce laughed shortly. "Oh. He definitely will." She paused. "However, you need to rest young lady. We can work on it when it's not too late." 

"Can I have some warm milk first?"

Joyce nodded signaling for her to follow her to the kitchen a few steps away. Once she had her settled once more Joyce returned to the table. She finished what she was writing. A final letter to Bob Newby, her precious superhero. He would always be with her but it was time to leave the trauma in the past.

____

Jonathan had driven back to Hawkins with the kids for the weekend before school resumed for winter break. He was going to propose to Nancy. Joyce was really happy for them.

She was sitting out on her porch, eyes closed for a moment trying to revel in the solitude of being on her own when she heard the sound of grass crunching underfoot of someone's shoes. 

She bolted up, instinctively going for the bat they kept on the porch. Will had gathered an interest in baseball. If nothing else it was fun to see her boys (and sometimes El) have fun tossing and hitting around a ball. 

"Wow. I missed how intense you get." The familiar voice nearly knocked her back as the visage of a person came further into the lights so she could see them. She dropped that bat slowly. 

Joyce tried not to cry. He looked terrible but he was there. Or at least she hoped this wasn't some sick dream. Some hallucination, she hoped her mind wasn't that cruel.

"Hops." She breathed in, taking a moment to make sure that she hadn't gotten knocked out somehow, then rushed down the steps to meet him at the bottom. 

She wanted to touch him. Feel his skin under hers. Make sure this was real.

"I'm not crazy." She whispered.

He laughed, "Not this time." He reached for her intending to pull her into his chest. He felt weak still from the lack of exercise and protein during those long months in Russia.

Joyce pulled his face down to hers, her nose brushing his own. "Goddammit, Jim." Then she kissed him. Kissed him like she should have when they were kids. Like she should of every single time they made it out of every life-threatening situation.

This was necessary. This was every dream he ever had that didn't involve tearing off her clothes. Though he had plenty of those, he was glad they started their reunion here. He had thought of her, and El, and fucking Hawkins the entire time and hoped that even when everything was shit he might have one more chance to set things right.

When he came up for air he let out a sigh. "Sorry. I thought I was dead for what it's worth."

She nodded as she pushed away from him for just a moment, then she pulled him inside so they could talk and maybe she could fix him something to eat. He needed one, and a proper shave.

____

El had given him one of the letters. That girl could be so sneaky, Joyce thought. As she wrung a towel while she watched him pour over what was probably the longest one out of the bunch. She had been up for three days and felt like she was going insane at the time.

Hop didn't say anything while he read. Only looked up after he was done. He sometimes wore this expression that told her more than any words he could say. She had always found his face to be so amusing, she loved it more with every passing day. It's what happened when you missed someone and didn't know if you'd ever see them again. 

"I'm sorry I was pissed that you were leaving." He started, angling his chair towards her so that she knew he had her full attention. "I would miss you too much. You, the kids, you're as much as a part of Hawkins as anyone. But, it wasn't fair for me to take out that pain of you deciding to go out on you. You've had your reasons...and you brought El with you, I have to be thankful for that."

"I care about her." She swallowed. "And you, of course. It wasn't a decision I made lightly, Hopper."

He nodded. 

"I just have one question."

She waited.

"You got room for one more?" He grinned, slowly.

Joyce eyes brimmed with tears, the rag fell to the floor, she spoke quietly as if this was the part that scared her. "Okay."

It was easy. He had already been here long before he came home.

Jonathan was relieved when all the kids found out. As if this was a sign from the universe that everything would be okay.


End file.
